Junior Hockey World Cup: India to Host Pakistan in Pool B Showdown

India is gearing up to host the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup, scheduled from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai. The Indian team finds itself in Pool B, where they will face off against Pakistan, Chile, and Switzerland.

Hockey players in action (AP Photo)

The draw ceremony, a landmark event, took place at the FIH headquarters and marks a historic moment as this will be the first time that 24 teams will participate in the tournament.

The pool compositions are as follows:

• Pool A: Germany, South Africa, Canada, Ireland
• Pool C: Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, China
• Pool D: Spain, Belgium, Egypt, Namibia
• Pool E: Netherlands, Malaysia, England, Austria
• Pool F: France, Australia, Korea, Bangladesh

The draw ceremony witnessed the presence of key figures including FIH president Tayyab Ikram, Hockey India (HI) secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, and Hockey India Director General RK Srivastava.

FIH chief Ikram stated, "It is a great pleasure for me to be here ahead of a milestone moment as we start the journey towards the first ever 24-team FIH Junior Hockey World Cup! It is a part of the FIH strategy to empower and engage the youth from all nations, including the emerging nations, and this event will be the first step towards doing that."

Bhola Nath added, "Today marks a landmark moment for the world of hockey as we witness the pool draw for the inaugural FIH Junior Men's Hockey World Cup, featuring 24 nations." He also highlighted the opportunity to enhance hockey infrastructure, particularly with the introduction of a new state-of-the-art hockey stadium in Madurai.

Germany are the current title holders, having secured their seventh title by defeating France 2-1 in the 2023 final.